Shares edged up on the HCM Stock Exchange on July 7, with the VN-Index closing up by 0.4 percent to 429.99 points. The value of trades fell by 10.6 percent from July 6's session, however, to 463.3 billion VND (22.5 million USD) on a volume of 23.4 million shares.

Gains by five of the 10 leading shares by capitalisation helped lift the VN-Index, with food producer Masan Group (MSN) hitting its ceiling price for the session of 101,000 VND per share, while four others made gains of 0.5-1.6 percent, including Eximbank (EIB), Sacombank (STB) and property developers Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAG) and Vincom (VIC).

STB was the most-active share with 1.94 million traded and continued to rally beyond the normal movements of other banking shares.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index lost another 0.54 percent to conclude the session at 73.04. The value of trades plunged 27 percent from the previous session to 188.8 billion VND (9.2 million USD), the bourse's lowest value since late January.

Kim Long Securities Co (KLS) claimed the highest trading volume nationwide with more than 3 million shares changing hands, although it closed down 0.9 percent.

Foreign investors were net sellers in HCM City for a fifth consecutive session on the day, selling a net of 17.4 billion VND (844,700 USD) worth of shares, while they bought a net of 1.4 billion VND (67,900 USD) in Hanoi .

Quan suggested that signs of an upcoming interest rate reduction might positively influence investor psychology in the coming sessions.

"The average overnight rate has tended to drop and was only 11.68 percent on Monday, according to the State Bank. Banks aren't willing to raise money at any cost," he said. /.